Our first two groups concluded with England and Italy cruising through as expected. It was a bit tighter below, as Qatar failed to overcome 10-man Ukraine and Canada survived after a surprise loss to Iran:
So we wrap up Groups C & D today. They've been great so far, with every match hotly contested. Mexico might already be through, but everybody else has to get a result today.
Group C
After Scotland beat Sweden in a clash of the top two seeds, both teams suffered red cards in their subsequent games. Sweden weren't fazed and overcame Australia, but Scotland succumbed to Costa Rica. It means that after scraping a draw with Australia, Costa Rica somehow lead the way:
What are left with are two matches that are almost standalone knockout matches. Every team would be certain to qualify with a win except Australia. Similarly, defeat would spell the end of every team except maybe Costa Rica. A draw would be enough for both Costa Rica and Scotland and fatal for Sweden and Australia.
Team news: Scotland vs Australia
Scotland are without Connor Goldson after his red card, which means that John Souttar comes in to face his brother Harry! Australia have their own suspension issue, as Damien Da Silva is out along with the injured Jason Berthomier. Javi López and Joe Lolley are their replacements, whilst former Hibernian striker Jamie Maclaren replaces Marcus Antonsson up front.
Scotland are without Connor Goldson after his red card, which means that John Souttar comes in to face his brother Harry! Australia have their own suspension issue, as Damien Da Silva is out along with the injured Jason Berthomier. Javi López and Joe Lolley are their replacements, whilst former Hibernian striker Jamie Maclaren replaces Marcus Antonsson up front.
Team news: Sweden vs Costa Rica
Sergio Pena impressed off the bench for Sweden against Australia, and so is the obvious choice to replace the suspended Albin Ekdal. Costa Rica are without Cristian Gamboa through suspension, but luckily his understudy Ian Smith is back from injury.
Sergio Pena impressed off the bench for Sweden against Australia, and so is the obvious choice to replace the suspended Albin Ekdal. Costa Rica are without Cristian Gamboa through suspension, but luckily his understudy Ian Smith is back from injury.
Kick off
SWEvCRC (13 mins): John Jairo Ruiz has provided the early spark, setting up Joel Campbell for a shot over the bar, and then running onto Smith's through ball to play a perfect low cross for Juan Fernando Caicedo right in front of goal. It's a huge chance and he somehow hits it across the face of goal and wide!
SCOvAUS (22 mins): Australia are more patient in possession, whilst Scotland are more direct with the ball. Reo Hatate lifts a shot over the bar whilst at the other end Sonny Kittel's free kick is deflected just wide. It has been a quiet start, but then a John McGinn pass splits Australia's centre backs. Mathew Ryan is slow to come for it and Fábio Silva nips in to score! However, he is clearly offside and the VAR check is trivial.
SCOvAUS (30 mins): Australia have a corner that Silva does well to beat Harry Souttar to. Kittel keeps the ball and plays it towards Lolley, but Kyogo Furuhashi gets there first - only for the referee to deem him to have fouled Lolley and point to the spot! VAR checks whether it was in the box, and it was! So Kittel has the chance to score a huge goal for Australia... it's not a great penalty, soft and mid-height, but Jack Butland guesses wrongly and it goes in!
SWEvCRC (45+2 mins): Sweden had a chance when a free kick loops up in the air for Pontus Jansson six yards out, but he can't connect with his header well enough to beat Keylor Navas. And so it gets to half time scoreless. Sweden have offered very, very little and that suits Costa Rica just fine.
SCOvAUS (45+2 mins): Scotland look short of ideas, but create a golden one to level when James Tavernier's low cross is straight to Furuhashi on the edge of the six yard box, but his low shot is somehow held by Ryan! It's a miraculous save even if the shot shouldn't have given him a chance. But Scotland aren't done, and with mere seconds before the half time whistle Tavernier puts in an identical low cross, and this time Furuhashi finds the bottom corner! So Scotland dig themselves out of a hole, can Australia push them back into it?
Half time
SWEvCRC (52 mins): Dejan Kulusevski has offered little so far this tournament, but dances into the box and has a shot well saved by Navas. But there's bad news for Sweden as Viktor Gyokeres is down clutching his knee. He can continue and it left on for now. And it proves to be a very wise decision, as a minute later Kulusevski plays it down the line for Alexander Isak, who is quick to fire it across the box to give Gyokeres a tap-in! Sweden get their goal from their three draft stars, and now it is Costa Rica who need a goal to avoid elimination!
SCOvAUS (54 mins): Furuhashi puts Silva clean through on goal, but one-on-one he strikes the post - and was offside again anyway. From the free kick Jorrit Hendrix loses it cheaply, but Furuhashi's shot from the edge of the box is wide.
SWEvCRC (69 mins): The goal was Gyokeres' last touch as he was immediately replaced by Arber Zeneli as Sweden moved to a more cautious 4-4-1-1. For Costa Rica meanwhile, this is the first time they have been behind and they don't seem well-equipped for it. Sweden look much the more likely to score the game's second goal, with several players going close. And eventually from the umpteenth free kick near goal Pena plays it wide to Zeneli who picks out Isak in the box to score! But there's hope for Costa Rica as the flag is up... and VAR confirms that the score is to remain 1-0.
SCOvAUS (72 mins): Cameron Carter-Vickers picks up a slight knock and is replaced by Leon Balogun. A loose pass from him sets Australia away, but Kittel's shot is deflected behind. Craig Goodwin's corner is towards the Souttar brothers, Harry wins it and his header is over Butland... and hits the bar! A let-off for Scotland!
SWEvCRC (79 mins): Costa Rica bring on more attacking players. One of those is midfielder Celso Borges, and they elect to replace the underperforming Luis Garrido rather than the cautioned David Guzmán. That proves to be the wrong call, as a needless shirt tug on Mikkel Rygaardsees Guzmán receive his marching orders! There's been exactly three red cards this tournament, and they have all been in this group. It very nearly gets even worse for Costa Rica as Rygaard hits the woodwork with the free kick and Marcus Danielson heads the rebound wide.
SWEvCRC (88 mins): It just gets worse for Costa Rica, as in the final minutes Navas is forced off injured. They had just brought on their final two substitutes, and so they are down to nine men with right back Smith in goal!
SWEvCRC (90+3 mins): It is all now for poor old Costa Rica. They clear a Swedish corner, but they don't have the players to get to the second ball. Kulusevski calmly squares it to Zeneli and he leathers it into the top corner! I doubt Navas would have saved it, let alone Smith.
SCOvAUS (90+6 mins): Australia throw on more and more attackers, ending up with a 4-1-3-2 formation by the end. But Scotland's defensive organisation is very good, denying their opponents the chance to get balls into the box. The only efforts of note are Scottish ones, but they don't find the winner they wanted. Nevertheless, they are able to secure the draw and progress!
SWEvCRC (90+7 mins): Even without Sweden particularly trying to push players forward they are creating chances. Isak skews one wide, and the final whistle puts Costa Rica out of their misery.
Final scores:
Scotland 1 (Furuhashi 45+2') Australia 1 (Kittel (p) 31') Player of the match: James Tavernier (SCO) | Sweden 2 (Gyokeres 52', Zeneli 90+3') Costa Rica 0 Player of the match: Alexander Isak (SWE) |
A shame for Costa Rica, who were severely punished for their substitution choices and were left with little chance of getting something from that match. They were a half away from a first DWC knockout appearance, but missed out. They failed to have a single shot after Caicedo's huge chance, a real sliding doors moment (I think, I haven't seen the film but I've seen a Frasier episode based on it).
It was also disappointment for Australia, who could plausibly have won all three of their games this tournament - and were the only team in this group to play every match with 11 men - but take just two points. Scotland were lucky they didn't have to push for a winner, as they - other than the spell before half time - didn't put Australia under too much pressure.
It was also disappointment for Australia, who could plausibly have won all three of their games this tournament - and were the only team in this group to play every match with 11 men - but take just two points. Scotland were lucky they didn't have to push for a winner, as they - other than the spell before half time - didn't put Australia under too much pressure.
A sign of how closely-fought this group was is that Costa Rica and Australia occupied the qualification spots as we entered first half stoppage time. But it was ultimately the top two seeds who make it, with Sweden coming out on top despite losing their opening game.
Group D
This is one of those groups that I would consider to have two top seeds, as Netherlands and Mexico appear almost identically-matched. But whilst Mexico are through after two wins, Netherlands laboured to a draw with Senegal before a loss to Lombardy to leave them on the brink of elimination:
Netherlands have to beat Mexico to stay alive, but even that might not be enough if Lombardy beat Senegal. Senegal themselves would go through with a win coupled with Netherlands failing to win. Should they both win then it will come down to goal difference.
Team news: Lombardy vs Senegal
Both teams make just one change, and in both cases due to suspension. Lombardy bring in Charles Pickel for Michele Castagnetti whilst Ibrahima Mbaye replaces Aliou Coly in Senegal's XI.
Both teams make just one change, and in both cases due to suspension. Lombardy bring in Charles Pickel for Michele Castagnetti whilst Ibrahima Mbaye replaces Aliou Coly in Senegal's XI.
Team news: Mexico vs Netherlands
The good news for Netherlands is that Mexico make changes; not as many as England and Italy did, but still a good five new faces. Jordan Henderson's tough year continues, as he is one of a few who are cut from the Dutch side; Josip Sutalo, Steven Bergwijn and keeper Justin Biljow also make way as Walter Benítez, Dávid Hancko, Joey Veerman and Noa Lang start.
The good news for Netherlands is that Mexico make changes; not as many as England and Italy did, but still a good five new faces. Jordan Henderson's tough year continues, as he is one of a few who are cut from the Dutch side; Josip Sutalo, Steven Bergwijn and keeper Justin Biljow also make way as Walter Benítez, Dávid Hancko, Joey Veerman and Noa Lang start.
LOMvSEN (6 mins): Lombardy have a throw in on the left. Nikolas Ioannou exchanges the ball with Pickel and swings in a deep cross. Senegal's defence is very poorly organised, with left back Saliou Ciss nowhere, and so Jean-Pierre Nsame is able to get onto the end of the cross and bury a volley! The perfect start for Lombardy!
MEXvNED (22 mins): Veerman nearly gets Netherlands off to their own flying start with a dashing run into the box, but his cut-back is cut out. It's a fairly disjointed start, with a lack of clarity in the final third.
LOMvSEN (40 mins): Senegal have a weak shout for a penalty turned down after a strong challenge from Pickel, but nothing's given. Lombardy charge down the other end and Nsame has a header go over the bar. It has been a half of very few shots, but crucially for Lombardy they created the one big chance and scored it.
MEXvNED (41 mins): It remains very cagey here. But just as we look to be heading into the break scoreless Kevin Álvarez plays a free kick down the line for Jesús Corona. The winger has been the most lively player on the pitch and he shows no hesitation in putting the ball into the middle for Henry Martín to put away the simplest tap-in! There's a check for offside... and VAR finds that Corona had strayed! What a let-off for Netherlands! But they need to score themselves and hope Senegal turn things around if they are to make the most of it.
Half time
MEXvNED (60 mins): Teun Koopmeiners hasn't made the most of the key midfield role Netherlands have given him this tournament, and now he picks up a knock after a foul by Stefan Medina. As he gets assessed Netherlands are down to 10, but it doesn't matter as Yukinari Sugawara's free kick ends up coming back to him via Santiago Giménez. Sugawara works it onto his right foot and bends his shot into the top corner!
LOMvSEN (65 mins): Netherlands still need Senegal to kick into gear. Leroy Sané has a go from range, and his curling effort forces Adrian Semper to push the ball behind. But then Senegal's defence switches off again, as Manuel Locatelli's floated ball from his own half catches both centre backs out. Clément Diop comes for it but is never getting there before Nsame, who controls it past the keeper and rolls it in! Lombardy are two to the good now and on the verge of qualification! In fact, if they - or Netherlands - get another two goals they would overtake Mexico as group winners.
LOMvSEN (90+5 mins): Lombardy see no need to push for a big win. Senegal throw players forward but produce no quality. In the end, Lombardy have very little to do to see out the victory!
MEXvNED (90+6 mins): So that is Netherlands eliminated, then. They had brought on Henderson at right back to help boost the midfield and stifle Mexico. It works, as despite Mexico trying to push on they cannot create much. The Dutch are going out, but they have at least gone out with a good win.
Final scores:
Lombardy 2 (Nsame 6', 65') Senegal 0 Player of the match: Jean-Pierre Nsame (LOM) | Mexico 0 Netherlands 1 (Sugawara 60') Player of the match: Yukinari Sugawara (NED) |
Netherlands may rue how poor Senegal played today, but they did the damage to themselves with their dropped points against the African side and a wasteful performance in defeat to Lombardy. But today is all about Lombardy, who make history as the first associate team to make the knockout stages of the DWC! They have taken their chances very well in this group, and that has proven to be key.
Had Sergio Canales not scored a late third for Mexico in their opening win over Lombardy, the associates would have ended up topping this group, a result I certainly didn't see coming.
After processions for the top seeds in the first two groups, those involved today had a much tougher time. Netherlands are out, whilst Scotland were the width of the crossbar away from doing the same. They will have to up their game in the next round as they play Mexico, whilst both Sweden and Lombardy will see each other as a beatable last 16 opponents.
France will avoid an upset as they are already through from Group F, but we have five teams who face a scramble to join them next time.
France will avoid an upset as they are already through from Group F, but we have five teams who face a scramble to join them next time.